Say hello to these Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes! They're moist and fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with the richest and fudgiest whipped ganache frosting!
I am the BIGGEST chocolate lover which is why I have a whole chocolate section that is stuffed with some of my favorite recipes. These Triple Chocolate Brownies are literally going to change your life, and these Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies are my go-to!
Why You'll LOVE This Recipe
- Texture: These are the softest, moistest, most tender chocolate cupcakes!
- Frosting: This ganache frosting thickens up and tastes just like fudge.
- Time: This is a super quick recipe with just 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of bake time!
- Ease: You’ll need 1 bowl and a whisk for the cupcakes and just 2 ingredients for the frosting!
- Customization: These can be spiced up with any toppings you'd like for any occasion.
Cupcake Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is the base of the recipe. Oil creates a moister and fluffier cupcake than butter. It can be substituted for another unflavored oil.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs at room temperature add to structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Even though these have a deep chocolate flavor, pure vanilla extract rounds out the flavor of the cupcakes.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream creates moist and tender cupcakes. You can substitute it with Greek yogurt.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk smooths out the batter and creates a lighter, more tender cupcake.
- All Purpose Flour: Regular, plain all purpose flour is perfect for a soft texture. Measure properly by using a kitchen scale or by using a spoon to carry and level the flour into your measuring cups.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is where these cupcakes get their chocolate flavor. I use natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both of these leavening agents work together to help these cupcakes rise. Do not substitute one for the other.
- Salt: Salt brings out sweetness and enhances flavor.
Step-by-Step Process
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line your 12-count muffin tray with liners.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, room temperature sour cream, and room temperature buttermilk together. Whisk until smooth.
STEP 3: Add your properly measured all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Mix with a whisk only until you see the dry flour pieces disappear.
STEP 4: Then, transfer your batter to the 12 liners, adding about ¼-1/3 cup of batter to each cavity. The cupcakes should be ¾ full.
STEP 5: Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes look slightly shiny, the centers look set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Allow the cupcakes to cool before decorating.
Ganache Fudge Frosting
STEP 1: Place dark chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof bowl. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat heavy whipping cream until it begins to simmer.
STEP 2: Immediately, pour the cream over your chocolate chips. Push chocolate chips under the cream if they aren’t fully covered by the heavy cream.
STEP 3: Let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes, uncovered, before using a rubber spatula, wire whisk, or spoon to combine. Start by making small circles in the center of the bowl. Continue making a swirl motion and slowly begin working outside the center of the bowl as the mixture combines.
STEP 4: Place a piece of cling wrap directly on top of the ganache and place the bowl in the fridge until after the cupcakes have baked and cooled.
STEP 5: Remove the ganache from the fridge. Use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to beat the ganache for 3-5 minutes until the ganache has turned lighter in color and is smooth and airy in texture.
STEP 6: If desired, transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice. Frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or other topping as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular milk will not produce the same light and fluffy texture. However, you can make homemade buttermilk by adding ½ tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Then, pour room temperature dairy milk into the container to reach the ½ cup mark. Finally, mix the milk and lemon juice or vinegar together before letting it sit for 5 minutes.
Microwave the ganache in 10-second increments, stirring thoroughly after each round of heating to ensure that all chocolate pieces are melted before placing the ganache in the fridge to firm up.
If you want to use another frosting, I'd recommend this chocolate fudge buttercream or this vanilla buttercream. You can top the cupcakes with a chocolate drizzle, chocolate truffle, sprinkles of choice, any candy you'd like, or chocolate chips!
Expert Tips
Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature ingredients will allow the batter to come together more smoothly and results in a lighter cake. If you forget to leave them out ahead of time, you can-
- leave eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes
- heat sour cream in the microwave for 10 seconds
- heat buttermilk in the microwave for 10 seconds
Moist Cake: To make moist cupcakes, measure flour using a kitchen scale or by spooning flour into your measuring cups before sweeping a knife across the top to level it. Make sure not to overmix when adding the dry ingredients into the wet, and only bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs since overbaking leads to dry cupcakes.
Make Ahead and Storing
After the cupcakes have been baked, store them tightly covered or in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 days at room temperature or 3 months in the freezer before frosting.
Store the frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days or up to 5 days in the fridge due to the ganache frosting. Freeze frosted cupcakes in a freezer bag for up to 4 months, but place them in the freezer, uncovered on a plate for 30 minutes before storing.
Related Recipes
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Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Cupcakes, Fudge, Ganache
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Say hello to these Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes! They’re moist and fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with the richest and fudgiest whipped ganache frosting!
Ingredients
For the Ganache Frosting
- 2 ½ cups (450g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 ¼ cup (300g) heavy whipping cream
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup (210g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (100g), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (85g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ¾ cup (105g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Ganache Frosting
- Place dark chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof bowl.
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat heavy whipping cream until it begins to simmer. The mixture should just begin to bubble, and you should see steam coming from it. Do not let the cream fully boil, as a film will form over the top of the cream.
- Immediately, pour the cream over your chocolate chips. Push chocolate chips under the cream if they aren’t fully covered by the heavy cream.
- Let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes, uncovered, before using a rubber spatula, wire whisk, or spoon to combine. Start by making small circles in the center of the bowl. Continue making a swirl motion and slowly begin working outside the center of the bowl as the mixture combines.
- Place a piece of cling wrap directly on top of the ganache and place the bowl in the fridge until after the cupcakes have baked and cooled.
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12 count muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, vegetable oil, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, room temperature sour cream, and room temperature buttermilk together with a whisk until smooth.
- Pour properly-measured flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl and whisk. Mix only until you see the dry ingredients disappear into the batter, as overmixing could lead to dense cupcakes.
- Divide the batter between the 12 muffin liners, adding about ¼-1/3 cup of batter to each liner. The liners should be about ¾ full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes look slightly shiny, the centers look set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before decorating.
For the Decoration
- Remove the ganache from the fridge. Use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to beat the ganache for 3-5 minutes until the ganache has turned lighter in color and is smooth and airy in texture.
- If desired, transfer whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice. Frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or other topping as desired. Store cupcakes covered at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Measuring Flour: To avoid dry and dense cupcakes, measure flour with a kitchen scale to 105g exactly or use a spoon to transfer flour from your container to your measuring cups before using a knife to level.
Storing: These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container or tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. To freeze, place the cooled and frosted cupcakes, uncovered, in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, or wrap them individually in cling wrap and freeze. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes, Fudge Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, Ganache
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